Mechanically sensitive power efficient stylus for an electronic device

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/043,312, filed Feb. 27, 2023 and published on Aug. 31, 2023 as U.S. Publication No. 2023-0273687, which is a National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/US2021/047628, filed Aug. 25, 2021, which claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/117,537, filed Nov. 24, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/071,096, filed Aug. 27, 2020, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties for all intended purposes.

This generally relates to a stylus and, more particularly, to a power efficient stylus for an electronic device, and, more particularly, to such a stylus with mechanical sensitivity, as well as to systems, methods, and computer-readable media for use thereof.

Some systems may include an electronic device with a sensor assembly to facilitate a user's interaction with the device, as well as a stylus for providing a user with a more precise instrument than the user's fingers for interacting with the sensor assembly, such as for generating a graphical object on a display of the electronic device. However, existing systems often require an active stylus that uses power intensive electronics requiring electrical power provided by a battery embedded in the active stylus for driving electrical currents into the electronic device or a passive stylus that does not usually generate internal electrical power but that is difficult to distinguish from a user's finger and/or that provides no mechanical sensitivity.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enabling a power efficient stylus with mechanical sensitivity for an electronic device are provided.

As an example, a stylus for use with an electronic device that includes an input component with an input surface may be provided, the stylus including a housing and stylus circuitry at least partially positioned within the housing, wherein the stylus circuitry includes body circuitry, a front tip interface component, and front tip stylus circuitry positioned between and electrically coupled to each one of the body circuitry and the front tip interface component, the front tip stylus circuitry includes non-linear circuitry that is operative to provide a non-linear load between the body circuitry and the front tip interface component when the stylus circuitry is stimulated by an external stimulation, and the non-linear load is operative to provide a stylus electric field that is detectable by the electronic device when the front tip interface component of the stylus is positioned adjacent the input surface of the input component of the electronic device.

As another example, a stylus for use with an electronic device that includes an input component with an input surface may be provided, the stylus including a tip interface component and tip stylus circuitry electrically coupled to the tip interface component, wherein the stylus is operative to drive a current back and forth through the tip stylus circuitry when the tip stylus circuitry is stimulated by an electrical signal provided by the input component of the electronic device, and the driven current is operative to provide a modulated version of the electrical signal that is detectable by the electronic device when the tip interface component of the stylus is positioned adjacent the input surface of the input component of the electronic device.

As yet another example, a method for using a stylus including non-linear circuitry at an input component of an electronic device may be provided, the method including transmitting an electrical signal from transmitter circuitry of the input component of the electronic device, stimulating the non-linear circuitry of the stylus with the transmitted electrical signal, providing a non-linear load at the stylus based on the stimulating, and creating a harmonic of the transmitted electrical signal at the input component of the electronic device based on the provided non-linear load.

As yet another example, a stylus for use with an electronic device that includes an input component with an input surface may be provided, the stylus including a housing and stylus circuitry at least partially positioned within the housing, wherein the stylus circuitry includes body circuitry, a tip interface component, and tip stylus circuitry, the tip stylus circuitry includes switch circuitry that is operative to alternate according to a pattern between a first state in which the body circuitry and the tip interface component are electrically coupled and a second state in which the body circuitry and the tip interface component are not electrically coupled, and the alternation of the switch circuitry is operative to provide a modulated capacitance at the tip interface component that is detectable by the electronic device when the tip interface component of the stylus is positioned adjacent the input surface of the input component of the electronic device.

As yet another example, a stylus for use with an electronic device that includes an input component with an input surface may be provided, the stylus including a tip interface component and tip stylus circuitry electrically coupled to the tip interface component, wherein the tip stylus circuitry is operative to change a load of the stylus according to a pattern when the tip stylus circuitry is exposed to an electrical signal provided by the input component of the electronic device, and the changed load is operative to provide a modulated version of the electrical signal that is detectable by the electronic device when the tip interface component of the stylus is positioned adjacent the input surface of the input component of the electronic device.

As yet another example, a method for using a stylus including switching circuitry at an input component of an electronic device may be provided, the method including transmitting an electrical signal from transmitter circuitry of the input component of the electronic device, concurrently with the transmitting, switching the switching circuitry according to a pattern, and, based on the switching, modulating the transmitted electrical signal according to the pattern.

As yet another example, a method for detecting an accessory on an input surface of an input component of an electronic device that includes a matrix of a plurality of transmit electrodes and a plurality of receive electrodes, may be provided, the method including transmitting a transmit signal on each transmit electrode of at least a subset of the plurality of transmit electrodes, sensing a receive signal on each receive electrode of at least a subset of the plurality of receive electrodes, extracting, from each sensed receive signal, data indicative of a non-linear aspect of the transmit signal, and estimating a position of the accessory on the input surface based on the extracted data.

As yet another example, an electronic device may be provided that includes an input component including an input surface and a matrix underneath the input surface including a plurality of transmit electrodes and a plurality of receive electrodes, and processing circuitry configured to transmit a transmit signal on each transmit electrode of at least a subset of the plurality of transmit electrodes, sense a receive signal on each receive electrode of at least a subset of the plurality of receive electrodes, extract, from each sensed receive signal, data indicative of a non-linear aspect of the transmit signal, and estimate a position of an accessory on the input surface based on the extracted data.

As yet another example, an electronic device input component may be provided that includes an input surface, a plurality of electrodes, and processing circuitry configured to provide a transmit waveform on each electrode of at least a subset of the plurality of electrodes, detect a receive waveform on each electrode of at least another subset of the plurality of electrodes, extract, from each detected receive waveform, data indicative of asymmetric distortion of the transmit waveform, and determine a location of an accessory on the input surface based on the extracted data.

As yet another example, an electronic device may be provided that includes an input component including an input surface and a matrix underneath the input surface including a plurality of transmit electrodes and a plurality of receive electrodes, and processing circuitry configured to transmit signals on transmit electrodes of at least a subset of the plurality of transmit electrodes, sense a receive signal on each receive electrode of at least a subset of the plurality of receive electrodes, extract, from the sensed receive signals, data indicative of a non-linear response to the transmit signals, and estimate a position of an accessory on the input surface based on the extracted data.

As yet another example, an electronic device input component may be provided that includes an input surface, a plurality of electrodes, and processing circuitry configured to provide transmit waveforms on electrodes of at least a subset of the plurality of electrodes, detect a receive waveform on each electrode of at least another subset of the plurality of electrodes, extract, from the detected receive waveforms, data indicative of a non-linear response to the transmit waveforms, and determine a location of an accessory on the input surface based on the extracted data.

This Summary is provided only to summarize some example embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described in this document. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the features described in this Summary are only examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Unless otherwise stated, features described in the context of one example may be combined or used with features described in the context of one or more other examples. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims.

In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments described herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that these various embodiments are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.

In addition, for clarity purposes, not all of the routine features of the embodiments described herein are shown or described. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous embodiment-specific decisions may be required to achieve specific design objectives. These design objectives will vary from one embodiment to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine engineering undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

The present disclosure relates to one or more power efficient styli for interacting with a sensor assembly of an electronic device, such as for generating a graphical object on a display of the electronic device.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enabling a power efficient stylus with mechanical sensitivity for an electronic device are provided and described with reference to.

is a schematic view of an illustrative systemwith an electronic deviceand a stylus. Stylus(e.g., a marking tool, smart pen, smart brush, wand, chisel, user-manipulated electronic input device, hand-held input device, and the like, or any other suitable accessory, such as a glove) may be configured to provide input to electronic device(e.g., a tablet computer, laptop computer, desktop computer, and the like). A system user may manipulate the orientation and position of stylusrelative to an input surface of electronic deviceto convey information to electronic device, such as, but not limited to, writing, sketching, scrolling, gaming, selecting user interface elements, moving user interface elements, and so on. In many embodiments, the input surface of electronic devicemay be a multi-touch display screen. However, in other embodiments, the input surface of electronic devicemay be a non-display input surface, such as, but not limited to, a trackpad or drawing tablet. The input surface may be a foldable or flexible surface or display. Systemmay be used to capture free-form user input from stylus. For example, the user can slide, move, draw, or drag a tip of stylusacross the input surface of electronic device, which, in response, may render a graphical object (e.g., a line) using a display positioned below the input surface. In such an example, the rendered graphical object may follow or otherwise correspond to the path of stylusacross the input surface of electronic device. The thickness and/or shape and/or intensity and/or any other suitable rendered characteristic of the rendered graphical object may vary based, at least in part, on one, some, or each of various characteristics, including, but not limited to, a force or speed with which the user moves stylusacross the input surface, an angle of stylusrelative to the input surface (e.g., the inclination of stylusrelative to a plane of the input surface, a writing angle of stylusrelative to a horizontal writing line traversing the input surface, etc.), a variable setting of a variable input component of stylus, which one of multiple tips of stylusis interacting with the input surface, a variable setting of an application running on electronic device(e.g., a virtual drawing space application), and/or a combination thereof. Collectively, stylusand electronic devicemay be referred to herein as a “user input” system.

Broadly and generally, systemmay be operative to determine and/or estimate one or more outputs of stylus(and/or changes therein over time as a scalar or vector quantity), to interpret the user's manipulation thereof as input to electronic device. For example, systemmay be operative to estimate: the magnitude of force applied by a user's grip to stylus(e.g., non-binary estimate of magnitude as a scalar or vector quantity); a magnitude (e.g., non-binary estimate of magnitude as a scalar or vector quantity) of force applied (e.g., force applied F) by stylusto the input surface of electronic device(e.g., a “reaction force” experienced by the stylus when the stylus applies a force to the input surface (e.g., reaction force F) may be equal to and opposite of the applied force Fapplied by the stylus to the input surface); the location at which or the area over which stylusmay touch or nearly touch the input surface of electronic device; a polar angle of stylusrelative to a plane of the input surface (e.g., inclination of stylus(e.g., a polar angle(θ) (e.g., as may be defined between a vector normal to the plane of input surfaceand a longitudinal axisof stylus, such as a zenith))); an azimuthal angle of stylusrelative to an axis of the input surface (e.g., an azimuthal angle(Φ) (e.g., as may be defined between the polar angle(θ) and a reference vector within the plane of input surface, such as an axis)); a vector or scalar representation of the angular position of stylusrelative to a plane of the input surface; three-dimensional coordinates (e.g., spherical, Cartesian, and so on) of one or more points along the length of stylusrelative to the input surface; and so on. In many embodiments, systemmay be operative to monitor such variables over time to estimate rates of change therein as either scalar or vector quantities (e.g., velocity, acceleration, and so on). The operation of estimating or determining two-dimensional position coordinates of stylusas a point (or area) within or parallel to a plane of the input surface, whether such operation is performed by electronic device, performed by stylus, and/or performed, at least in part, as a result of cooperation therebetween (or with one or more other electronic devices), is generally referred to herein as “locating” the stylus.

Electronic deviceand/or styluscan be configured to estimate and/or monitor the location of stylusover time and compute differential or integral quantities such as, but not limited to, acceleration, velocity, total force applied, path length, and so on. For example, the operation of estimating the velocity and/or acceleration of stylusrelative to the input surface as stylusis moved across that surface, whether such operation is performed by electronic device, performed by stylus, and/or performed, at least in part, as a result of cooperation therebetween (or with one or more other electronic devices), is generally referred to herein as estimating the “planar motion” of the stylus. The operation of estimating the angular velocity and/or acceleration of stylusrelative to a plane of the input surface as it is moved thereacross, whether performed by electronic device, performed by stylus, and/or performed, at least in part, as a result of cooperation therebetween (or with one or more other electronic devices), is generally referred to herein as estimating the “angular motion” of the stylus. Additionally or alternatively, electronic deviceand/or styluscan be configured to estimate the distance (e.g., Z-height) of a portion of stylus(e.g., the tip of the stylus) from the input surface of device, and such an estimated distance may be used to determine a “make or break” event between the stylus and device, such as for making a determination when a drawn graphical line should start or stop or a stylus lift off event should occur.

Electronic devicemay be any portable, mobile, or hand-held electronic device configured to interact with stylusfor changing any suitable characteristic(s) of device(e.g., any suitable graphical object input tool characteristics that may be utilized to render a graphical object) in response to manipulation of stylusacross an input surface of electronic device. Alternatively, electronic devicemay not be portable at all, but may instead be generally stationary. Electronic devicecan include, but is not limited to, a media player, video player, still image player, game player, other media player, music recorder, movie or video camera or recorder, still camera, other media recorder, radio, medical equipment, domestic appliance, transportation vehicle instrument, musical instrument, calculator, cellular telephone, other wireless communication device, personal digital assistant, remote control, pager, computer (e.g., a desktop, laptop, tablet, server, etc.), merchant accessory (e.g., signature pad (e.g., as may be used in a check-out line of a merchant store during payment processing)), monitor, television, stereo equipment, set up box, set-top box, wearable device (e.g., watch, clothing, etc.), boom box, modem, router, printer, and combinations thereof. Electronic devicemay include any suitable control circuitry or processor, memory, communications component, power supply, input component, and output component. Electronic devicemay also include a busthat may provide one or more wired or wireless communication links or paths for transferring data and/or power to, from, or between various other components of device. Devicemay also be provided with a housingthat may at least partially enclose one or more of the components of devicefor protection from debris and other degrading forces external to device. In some embodiments, one or more of the components may be provided within its own housing (e.g., input componentmay be an independent keyboard or mouse within its own housing that may wirelessly or through a wire communicate with processor, which may be provided within its own housing). In some embodiments, one or more components of electronic devicemay be combined or omitted. Moreover, electronic devicemay include other components not combined or included in. For example, devicemay include any other suitable components or several instances of the components shown in. For the sake of simplicity, only one of each of the components is shown in.

Memorymay include one or more storage mediums, including for example, a hard-drive, flash memory, permanent memory such as read-only memory (“ROM”), semi-permanent memory such as random access memory (“RAM”), any other suitable type of storage component, or any combination thereof. Memorymay include cache memory, which may be one or more different types of memory used for temporarily storing data for electronic device applications. Memorymay store media data (e.g., music and image files), software (e.g., applications for implementing functions on device(e.g., virtual drawing space applications, stylus detection applications, etc.)), firmware, preference information (e.g., media playback preferences), lifestyle information (e.g., food preferences), exercise information (e.g., information obtained by exercise monitoring equipment), transaction information (e.g., information such as credit card information), wireless connection information (e.g., information that may enable deviceto establish a wireless connection), subscription information (e.g., information that keeps track of podcasts or television shows or other media a user subscribes to), contact information (e.g., telephone numbers and e-mail addresses), calendar information, any other suitable data, or any combination thereof.

Communications componentmay be provided to allow deviceto communicate with one or more other electronic devices or servers or subsystems (e.g., stylus) using any suitable communications protocol(s). For example, communications componentmay support Wi-Fi (e.g., an 802.11 protocol), Ethernet, Bluetooth™, near field communication (“NFC”), radio-frequency identification (“RFID”), high frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHZ, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), infrared, transmission control protocol/internet protocol (“TCP/IP”) (e.g., any of the protocols used in each of the TCP/IP layers), hypertext transfer protocol (“HTTP”), BitTorrent™, file transfer protocol (“FTP”), real-time transport protocol (“RTP”), real-time streaming protocol (“RTSP”), secure shell protocol (“SSH”), any other communications protocol, or any combination thereof. Communications componentmay also include circuitry that can enable deviceto be electrically coupled to another device or server or subsystem (e.g., stylusor another user electronic device or server) and communicate with that other device, either wirelessly or via a wired connection.

Power supplymay provide power to one or more of the components of device. In some embodiments, power supplycan be coupled to a power grid (e.g., when deviceis not a portable device, such as a desktop computer). In some embodiments, power supplycan include one or more batteries for providing power (e.g., when deviceis a portable device, such as a cellular telephone). As another example, power supplycan be configured to generate power from a natural source (e.g., solar power using solar cells).

One or more input componentsmay be provided to permit a user to interact or interface with deviceand/or to sense certain information about the ambient environment. For example, input componentcan take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, a touch pad, trackpad, dial, click wheel, scroll wheel, touch screen, ultrasonic line sensor, ultrasonic imaging array, one or more buttons (e.g., a keyboard), mouse, joy stick, track ball, switch, photocell, force-sensing resistor (“FSR”), encoder (e.g., rotary encoder and/or shaft encoder that may convert an angular position or motion of a shaft or axle to an analog or digital code), microphone, camera, scanner (e.g., a barcode scanner or any other suitable scanner that may obtain product identifying information from a code, such as a linear barcode, a matrix barcode (e.g., a quick response (“QR”) code), or the like), proximity sensor (e.g., capacitive proximity sensor), biometric sensor (e.g., a fingerprint reader or other feature recognition sensor, which may operate in conjunction with a feature-processing application that may be accessible to electronic devicefor authenticating or otherwise identifying or detecting a user), line-in connector for data and/or power, force sensor (e.g., any suitable capacitive sensors, pressure sensors, strain gauges, sensing plates (e.g., capacitive and/or strain sensing plates), etc.), temperature sensor (e.g., thermistor, thermocouple, thermometer, silicon bandgap temperature sensor, bimetal sensor, etc.) for detecting the temperature of a portion of electronic deviceor an ambient environment thereof, a performance analyzer for detecting an application characteristic related to the current operation of one or more components of electronic device(e.g., processor), motion sensor (e.g., single axis or multi axis accelerometers, angular rate or inertial sensors (e.g., optical gyroscopes, vibrating gyroscopes, gas rate gyroscopes, or ring gyroscopes), linear velocity sensors, and/or the like), magnetometer (e.g., scalar or vector magnetometer), pressure sensor, light sensor (e.g., ambient light sensor (“ALS”), infrared (“IR”) sensor, etc.), thermal sensor, acoustic sensor, sonic or sonar sensor, radar sensor, image sensor, video sensor, global positioning system (“GPS”) detector, radio frequency (“RF”) detector, RF or acoustic Doppler detector, RF triangulation detector, electrical charge sensor, peripheral device detector, event counter, and any combinations thereof. Each input componentcan be configured to provide one or more dedicated control functions for making selections or issuing commands associated with operating device.

Electronic devicemay also include one or more output componentsthat may present information (e.g., graphical, audible, and/or tactile information) to a user of device. An output component of electronic devicemay take various forms, including, but not limited to, audio speakers, headphones, data and/or power line-outs, visual displays (e.g., for transmitting data via visible light and/or via invisible light), antennas, infrared ports, flashes (e.g., light sources for providing artificial light for illuminating an environment of the device), tactile/haptic outputs (e.g., rumblers, vibrators, etc.), taptic components (e.g., components that are operative to provide tactile sensations in the form of vibrations), and any combinations thereof.

For example, electronic devicemay include a display as output component. Displaymay include any suitable type of display or interface for presenting visual data to a user. In some embodiments, displaymay include a display embedded in deviceor coupled to device(e.g., a removable display). Displaymay include, for example, a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), a light emitting diode (“LED”) display, an organic light-emitting diode (“OLED”) display, a surface-conduction electron-emitter display (“SED”), a carbon nanotube display, a nanocrystal display, an organic electroluminescence display, electronic ink, or another type of display technology or combination of display technology types. Alternatively, displaycan include a movable display or a projecting system for providing a display of content on a surface remote from electronic device, such as, for example, a video projector, a head-up display, or a three-dimensional (e.g., holographic) display. As another example, displaymay include a digital or mechanical viewfinder, such as a viewfinder of the type found in compact digital cameras, reflex cameras, or any other suitable still or video camera. In some embodiments, displaymay include display driver circuitry, circuitry for driving display drivers, or both. Displaycan be operative to display content (e.g., media playback information, application screens for applications implemented on electronic device, information regarding ongoing communications operations, information regarding incoming communications requests, device operation screens, etc.) that may be under the direction of processor. Displaycan be associated with any suitable characteristic dimensions defining the size and shape of the display. For example, the display can be rectangular or have any other polygonal shape, or alternatively can be defined by a curved or other non-polygonal shape (e.g., a circular display). Displaycan have one or more primary orientations for which an interface can be displayed, or can instead or in addition be operative to display an interface along any orientation selected by a user.

It should be noted that one or more input componentsand one or more output componentsmay sometimes be referred to collectively herein as an input/output (“I/O”) component or I/O interface(e.g., input componentand displayas I/O component or I/O interface). For example, input componentand displaymay sometimes be a single I/O component, such as a touch screen, that may receive input information through a user's and/or stylus' touch of a display screen and that may also provide visual information to a user via that same display screen. Input componentof electronic devicemay provide an input surface relative to which a system user may manipulate the orientation and position of stylusto convey information to electronic device. In many embodiments, such an input surface of input componentof electronic devicemay be provided as a portion of a multi-touch display screen assembly (e.g., as a portion of I/O interfacewith a display output component). However, in other embodiments, such an input surface of input componentof electronic devicemay be a non-display input surface, such as, but not limited to, a trackpad or drawing tablet, whether or not devicemay also include a display output component. The input surface of input componentmay be a foldable or flexible surface or display.

Processorof devicemay include any processing circuitry operative to control the operations and performance of one or more components of electronic device. For example, processormay be used to run one or more applications, such as an application. Applicationmay include, but is not limited to, one or more operating system applications, firmware applications, virtual drawing space applications, stylus or other suitable accessory detection applications, media playback applications, media editing applications, pass applications, calendar applications, state determination applications (e.g., device state determination applications, stylus state determination applications, accessory state determination applications, etc.), biometric feature-processing applications, compass applications, health applications, thermometer applications, weather applications, thermal management applications, force sensing applications, device diagnostic applications, video game applications, or any other suitable applications. For example, processormay load applicationas a user interface program or any other suitable program to determine how instructions or data received via an input component(e.g., due to interaction with a tip of stylus) and/or any other component of device(e.g., stylus data from stylusvia communications component, etc.) may manipulate the one or more ways in which information may be stored on device(e.g., in memory) and/or provided to a user via an output componentand/or to a remote subsystem (e.g., to stylusand/or to any other electronic device or server via communications component). Applicationmay be accessed by processorfrom any suitable source, such as from memory(e.g., via bus) or from another device or server (e.g., from stylusvia communications component, and/or from any other suitable remote source via communications component). Electronic device(e.g., processor, memory, or any other components available to device) may be configured to process graphical data at various resolutions, frequencies, intensities, and various other characteristics as may be appropriate for the capabilities and resources of device. Processormay include a single processor or multiple processors. For example, processormay include at least one “general purpose” microprocessor, a combination of general and special purpose microprocessors, instruction set processors, graphics processors, video processors, and/or related chips sets, and/or special purpose microprocessors. Processoralso may include on board memory for caching purposes. Processormay be implemented as any electronic device capable of processing, receiving, or transmitting data or instructions. For example, processcan be a microprocessor, a central processing unit, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, a digital signal processor, an analog circuit, a digital circuit, or combination of such devices. Processormay be a single-thread or multi-thread processor. Processormay be a single-core or multi-core processor. Accordingly, as described herein, the term “processor” may refer to a hardware-implemented data processing device or circuit physically structured to execute specific transformations of data including data operations represented as code and/or instructions included in a program that can be stored within and accessed from a memory. The term is meant to encompass a single processor or processing unit, multiple processors, multiple processing units, analog or digital circuits, or other suitably configured computing element or combination of elements.

Stylusmay be any suitable accessory, digital input tool, marking tool, smart pen, smart brush, wand, chisel, user-manipulated electronic input device, hand-held input device, and/or the like that may be configured to interact with (e.g., provide input to) electronic device. Stylusmay include any suitable control circuitry or processor, which may be similar to any suitable processorof device, application, which may be similar to any suitable applicationof device, memory, which may be similar to any suitable memoryof device, communications component, which may be similar to any suitable communications componentof device, power supply, which may be similar to any suitable power supplyof device, input component, which may be similar to any suitable input componentof device, output component, which may be similar to any suitable output componentof device, I/O interface, which may be similar to any suitable I/O interfaceof device, bus, which may be similar to any suitable busof device, and/or housing, which may be similar to any suitable housingof device. In some embodiments, one or more components of stylusmay be combined or omitted. Moreover, stylusmay include other components not combined or included in. For example, stylusmay include any other suitable components or several instances of the components shown inor only some but not all of the components shown in. For the sake of simplicity, only one of each of the components is shown in.

Moreover, as shown, systemmay include one or more additional styli, such as one or more of styli,, and, and/or one or more other types of accessory, such as accessory, each of which may include any suitable components, such as a processor, application, memory, communications component, power supply, input component, output component, I/O interface, bus, housing, and/or the like, and may be similar to stylus. While each stylus of systemmay be operative to be used with respect to an input surface of device(e.g., one at a time (e.g., by a user)), each stylus of systemmay differ from one another with respect to one or more physical characteristics (e.g., color, weight, size, shape, material, circuitry, etc.) and/or with respect to one or more device input tool characteristics (e.g., graphical object input tool characteristics) associated with the stylus as may be determined by devicefor defining any suitable device characteristic(s) (e.g., rendered characteristic(s) (e.g., color, thickness, shape, intensity, and/or the like) of a graphical object rendered by device) in response to manipulation of the stylus with respect to an input surface of device.

Generally and broadly,-ID reference user input systemincluding electronic deviceand stylus. A user U manipulates the orientation and position of stylusrelative to input surface input component(e.g., a particular input component) of electronic devicein order to convey information to electronic device. User input systemmay be configured to perform or coordinate multiple operations such as, but not limited to, locating stylus, estimating the angular position of stylus, estimating the magnitude of force by stylusto input surface, determining a variable setting of a variable input componentof stylus, determining a variable setting of an applicationrunning on electronic device(e.g., a virtual drawing space application), and/or a combination thereof. User input systemcan perform these and other operations at the same time or at different times. In one non-limiting example, the operation of determining the location of styluscan be performed simultaneously with the operation of determining the angular position of stylus, while the operation of estimating the magnitude of force by stylusto input surfacemay be performed only periodically and/or based on whether electronic deviceis configured to accept force input from stylusgiven a particular operational mode of electronic device(or of stylus) at a particular time.

depicts user U gripping a barrel or handle or body portionof stylusextending between a front tip portionof stylusand a rear tip portionof stylus. User U may slide a tip portion, such as tip portion, of stylusacross input surfaceof electronic deviceto interact with a user interface presented or rendered on display output componentof electronic device, which may be positioned below at least a portion of input surfaceor integrated with at least a portion of input surfaceto provide I/O interfaceof device. Although, in other embodiments, it is to be understood that devicemay not include a display output component or may not include a display output component co-located with input surface. Input surfacemay be a foldable or flexible surface or display. As shown in, devicemay be presented as a tablet computing device as an example only, while many other electronic devices (with or without displays positioned below a stylus input surface) are envisioned. For example, the electronic device of user input systemcan be implemented as a peripheral input device, a trackpad, a drawing tablet, and the like.

Stylusmay take various forms to facilitate use and manipulation by user U. In the illustrated example of, stylusmay have a general form of a writing instrument, such as a pen or a pencil with a cylindrical bodywith two ends, such as a first end terminated at front portionand a second end terminated at rear portion. Either one or both of portionsandcan be removable and/or replaceable (e.g., by a user), affixed to body, or an integral part of body. User U may slide front portionof stylusacross input surfaceto convey information to electronic device. Electronic devicecan interpret the user's manipulation of stylusin any implementation-specific and suitable manner.

Bodyof styluscan be formed from any number of suitable materials, such as from plastics, metals, ceramics, laminates, glass, sapphire, wood, leather, synthetic materials, dielectric material, or any other material or combination of materials. Bodycan form an outer surface (or partial outer surface) and protective case for one or more internal components of stylus(e.g., as a portion of housing). Bodycan be formed of one or more components operably connected together, such as a front piece and a back piece or a top clamshell and a bottom clamshell. Alternatively, bodycan be formed of a single piece (e.g., uniform body or unibody). In some embodiments, bodymay be configured, partially or entirely, as an optical signal diffuser to diffuse an infrared signal or another optical signal such as the light emitted from a multi-color light-emitting diode. In other cases, bodymay be configured, entirely or partially, as an antenna window, allowing for wireless communications and/or electric fields to pass therethrough. Bodycan be formed from a material doped with an agent configured to provide bodywith a selected color, hardness, elasticity, stiffness, reflectivity, refractive pattern, texture, and so on. In other examples, the doping agent can confer other properties to bodyincluding, but not necessarily limited to, electrical conductivity and/or insulating properties, magnetic and/or diamagnetic properties, chemical resistance and/or reactivity properties, infrared and/or ultraviolet light absorption and/or reflectivity properties, visible light absorption and/or reflectivity properties, antimicrobial and/or antiviral properties, olcophobic and/or hydrophobic properties, thermal absorption properties, pest repellant properties, colorfast and/or anti-fade properties, antistatic properties, liquid exposure reactivity properties, and so on.

Bodycan exhibit a constant or a variable diameter cross-section. As illustrated, for example, the cylindrical cross-section view of bodymay maintain a substantially constant diameter from tip portionto rear portion. In other embodiments, bodycan include a variable cross-section (e.g., a “profile” of bodycan change across the length of body). In one example, the diameter of bodymay be smaller near tip portionthan at rear portion. In some examples, the diameter of bodymay bulge outward in the middle of bodybetween portionsand. In some cases, the profile of bodycan follow a mathematical function such as a bump function, a Gaussian function, or a step function. Bodymay include one or more grip features (not shown) such as embossments or impressions, closely-spaced channels, protrusions, projections, and/or the like. In some cases, a grip feature can be formed from a different material than body(e.g., grip feature(s) may be formed from a polymer material exhibiting high friction).

Although illustrated as a cylinder, bodyneed not take a cylindrical shape in all embodiments. Accordingly, as used herein, the term “diameter” may refer to the linear distance that can connect two points of a two-dimensional shape, whether the shape is circular or otherwise. For example, styluscan include a bodywith an n-sided polygonal cross-section (e.g., a vesica piscis cross-section, a triangular cross-section, a square cross-section, a pentagonal cross-section, and so on) that either varies in diameter or is constant in diameter. In some examples, a cross-section of bodymay be axially symmetric, although this is not required, as certain styluses in accordance with embodiments described herein may include bodywith a cross-section that is reflectionally symmetric along one axis while being reflectionally asymmetric along another. In still further examples, bodycan be formed into an ergonomic shape, including grooves, indents, and/or protrusions configured to enhance the comfort of user U. In some cases, bodymay include a tapered section that decreases in diameter, linearly or non-linearly, toward tip portion. The diameter of bodyat the interface of bodyand tip portionmay be substantially similar to the diameter of tip portionat that location. In this manner, the external surfaces of portionsandmay form a substantially continuous external surface of housingof stylus. Additionally or alternatively, the diameter of bodyat the interface of bodyand rear portionmay be substantially similar to the diameter of rear portionat that location. In this manner, the external surfaces of portionsandmay form a substantially continuous external surface of housingof stylus.

One or more of portions,, andof styluscan define one or more aperturesin which one or more input componentsand/or one or more output componentsof stylus, such as a button, a dial, a slide, a force pad, a touch pad, audio component, haptic component, and the like, may at least partially reside and/or through which such component(s) may be at least partially exposed. The apertures (and, correspondingly, the input/output components associated therewith) can be defined at a lower end of bodynearby tip portion, such that the input/output components may be conveniently located near where user U may rest the user's forefinger when grasping stylus. As one example, an aperturemay expose at least a portion of a simple mechanical switch or button input componentthat may be manipulated by user U for adjusting a variable setting of stylus(e.g., stylusmay be configured to operate in a first mode when such an input component is manipulated in a first manner and in a second mode when such an input component is manipulated in a second manner (e.g., to select different patterns of stylusdescribed herein)).

Rear portionof stylus, or more generally a “cap” of stylus, may be configured to provide a cosmetic end to body. In some cases, rear portionmay be formed integrally with body. In some cases, rear portionmay be formed similarly to front portionfor providing another tip feature for interacting with an input surface of device(e.g., stylusmay be flipped over by user U to drag portionacross input surface input componentof electronic devicerather than to drag portionacross input surface input componentof electronic device, which may enable different user-selectable interactions with device). Any portion or the entirety of rear portionmay expose or provide at least a portion of a simple mechanical switch or button or any other suitable input componentthat may be manipulated by user U for adjusting a variable setting of stylus(e.g., stylusmay be configured to operate in a first mode when such an input component is manipulated in a first manner and in a second mode when such an input component is manipulated in a second manner (e.g., to select different patterns of stylusdescribed herein)).

Tip portionof stylus, or more generally a “tip” of stylus, may be configured to contact or nearly contact input surfaceof devicein order to facilitate interaction between user U and device. Tipmay taper to a point, similar to a pen, so that user U may control styluswith precision in a familiar form factor. In some examples, tipmay be blunt or rounded, as opposed to pointed, or may take the form of a rotatable or fixed ball. Tipmay be formed from a softer material than input surface. For example, tipcan be formed from a silicone, a rubber, a fluoro-elastomer, a plastic, a nylon, conductive or dielectric foam, a brass or metal ball with a polymer coating or dielectric coating (e.g., a thin coating with a high dielectric constant) or any other suitable coating, or any other suitable material or combination of materials. In this manner, drawing of tipacross input surfacemay not cause damage to input surfaceor layers applied to input surface, such as, but not limited to, anti-reflective coatings, olcophobic coatings, hydrophobic coatings, cosmetic coatings, ink layers, and the like. Tipcan be configured to be removably attached to body, such as via threadings/screws, detents and/or recesses, interference-fit or snap-fit, and/or magnetic attraction, and/or the like, and electrically coupled capacitively, such as through a pogo-pin, spring, and/or the like.

Electronic devicemay locate and/or estimate the angular position of stylussubstantially in real time. Devicecan perform these operations with and/or without communications from stylus. As shown in-ID, devicemay be depicted as a tablet computing device, although this form-factor is not required of all embodiments (as noted above). For example, devicecan be any suitable device, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, cellular phone, an industrial or commercial computing terminal, a medical device, a peripheral or integrated input device, a hand-held or battery powered portable electronic device, a navigation device, a wearable device, and so on. Display output componentmay be positioned below input surfaceor may be integrated with input surface

The communication interfaces, whether between electronic deviceand stylusor between deviceand another device or server, or otherwise, can be implemented as capacitive coupling interfaces (e.g., via I/O interfacesand(e.g., as capacitive coupling interface data(e.g., signal(s) received by or adjusted by or made available by one of the interfaces to the other interface))), inductive interfaces, resonant interfaces, optical interfaces, acoustic interfaces, magnetic interfaces, wireless interfaces, Bluetooth interfaces (e.g., via communication componentsand(e.g., as wired/wireless communication interface data)), universal serial bus interfaces, Wi-Fi interfaces, TCP/IP interfaces, network communications interfaces, or any other suitable communication interfaces. In some embodiments, stylusmay not be configured to communicate with devicevia any communication component interfaces (e.g., stylusmay not be provided with any communications component (e.g., no communications component) but may still communicate with deviceusing any suitable I/O interface(e.g., via I/O interfacesand(e.g., as capacitive coupling interface data)))). Electronic devicemay provide information related to externally connected or communicating devices and/or software executing on such devices, messages, video, operating commands, and so forth (and may receive any of the foregoing from an external device), in addition to communications. Input surfacemay cooperate with housingof deviceto form an external surface thereof. In some cases, a front surface of input surfacecan be flush with an external surface of housing, although this is not required of all embodiments. In some examples, input surfacemay stand proud of at least a portion of housing. Input surfacemay be formed from glass or another suitable material, such as plastic, sapphire, metal, ceramic, ion-implanted glass, and so on. In some cases, input surfacemay be a solid material, whereas in other cases, input surfacemay be formed by laminating or adhering several materials together. Display componentmay be positioned below, or integrated with, input surface, where devicemay utilize displayto render images to convey information to the user. Displaycan be configured to show text, colors, line drawings, photographs, animations, video, and the like. Input surfaceand/or displaymay provide a foldable or flexible surface or display.

Devicecan also include a sensor layer input componentpositioned below, or integrated with, input surfaceand/or display, where devicemay utilize the sensor layer to, among other purposes, detect the presence and/or location of styluson input surface. In other examples, devicemay utilize sensor layerto detect the presence of another object on input surface, such as a finger of the user. In still further examples, devicemay utilize sensor layerto detect the force with which an object, such as stylus, presses on input surface. Such a sensor layer(e.g., of input surface input component) can be optically transparent or opaque. If sensor layerof a particular embodiment is disposed within display, sensor layermay be optically transparent so as to not impact the clarity of the display. In another example, sensor layermay be disposed around the perimeter of the display, positioned below a bezel surrounding the display, and/or the like. In this embodiment, sensor layerneed not be optically transparent. Input surfaceand/or sensor layermay provide at least a portion of a foldable or flexible surface or display. Sensor layermay be a metallic grid that may be positioned between and not blocking one or more light-emissive elements of I/O interface(e.g., for providing on-cell or in-cell electrodes). Additionally or alternatively, electrodes of sensor layercould be shared with display electronics of I/O interface(e.g., for providing in-cell electrodes).

Next, reference is made to the operation of locating styluson input surfaceof deviceusing sensor layerof device. Devicecan locate an interface portion, such as tip, of stylus, and estimate the Cartesian coordinates thereof, in a number of suitable ways. In typical embodiments, stylusis located as a result of cooperation between stylusand device. Generally and broadly, stylusmay be operative to generate and/or adjust (e.g., using any suitable I/O interface or I/O component or I/O circuitry) an electric field (e.g., an electric field having a small effective diameter along input surface, or an electric field where potential lines may be nearly spheres but where the electric field lines may be strongly curved but not circular). This “stylus electric field” (e.g., as adjusted and/or generated (e.g., caused) by stylus) may be provided by a stylus interface portion (e.g., tip) and may intersect input surfacewhen the stylus interface portion of stylusis placed on or near surface. Devicemay detect the stylus electric field and estimate the location of stylus(e.g., of the stylus interface portion (e.g., tip) based on the location (and/or area) at which the stylus electric field is detected). Sensor layermay be configured to detect stylus electric fields caused by stylus, where layermay include a number of capacitance sensing nodes that can be located on or between any suitable layer on or within displayand/or on or within input surface. The capacitive sensing nodes may be formed, at least in part, from an optically transparent conductor, such as, but not limited to, metal oxides such as indium-tin oxide and antimony-tin oxide, nanowire patterns formed from silver nanowire, carbon nanotubes, platinum nanowire, gold nanowire, and so on, thin deposits of metal, and the like. The capacitive sensing nodes may be configured to operate in any suitable capacitance mode or projected capacitance touch (“PCT”) mode, such as a self-capacitance mode, a mutual capacitance mode, or any other suitable capacitance mode or combination thereof, thereby capacitively coupling to stylusand detecting signals and fields caused by stylus.

Stylusmay cause a substantially-spherical or hemispherical or any other suitably shaped stylus electric field to be provided thereby (e.g., from tipby I/O circuitry). This stylus field may affect the capacitance (e.g., mutual capacitance or self-capacitance) of each capacitive sensing node nearby the stylus interface portion. Devicemay locate styluson input surfaceby monitoring each capacitive sensing node or an appropriate set of capacitive sensing nodes for these capacitive changes and estimating the location at which such changes (if any) have occurred. As used herein, the term “tip signal” may generally refer to an electrical signal provided by or received by stylusat the stylus interface portion (e.g., tip). As used herein, the term “tip field” may generally refer to the stylus electric field provided by the stylus interface portion (e.g., tip) in response to the tip signal. The tip field may take any suitable shape, but in many embodiments, the tip field takes a substantially spherical (or hemispherical) shape and may be modeled as a point source monopole electric field. The area of input surface(or a plane parallel to input surface) intersected by the tip field may be generally referred to herein as the “tip field intersection area,” which may be any suitable shape, such as substantially circular. A perimeter of the tip field intersection area may be defined as the boundary after which the power density (e.g., magnitude) of the tip field received by electronic devicemay be below a selected threshold. In one example, the circumference of the tip field intersection area may be defined at the half-power point of the tip field. In other words, in this example, the tip field intersection area may be defined as a portion of input surfaceintersected by the tip field with a magnitude at least greater than half of the power at which that field was provided. A charge footprint (e.g., charge profile) may be counted out as far as it is above a noise floor.

The tip signal can have at least one alternating current component that, via capacitive coupling or another suitable sensing technique, may be received (e.g., as the tip field) by the sensor layer of the electronic device. Many embodiments are described herein with reference to a sensor layerof electronic devicethat may be configured to detect the tip signal by monitoring mutual capacitance. However, it may be appreciated that electronic devicecan be appropriately configured in any implementation-specific manner to detect the tip field. For example, electronic devices can include a sensor layer configured to monitor for changes in the self-capacitance of one or more capacitive sensor nodes. In other examples, an electronic device can be configured to operate in both a self-capacitance mode and a mutual capacitance mode. In other embodiments, other sensing techniques can be used to determine the location and relative position of the tip field. As noted above, sensor layercan also be used to detect one or more fingers or the palm or the like of user U while simultaneously detecting the tip field. In these cases, electronic devicecan accept both touch input and stylus input.

In many cases, processorof devicemay be configured to detect the tip signal received through sensor layerfrom stylusvia capacitive coupling. Processormay be configured to demodulate, decode, or otherwise filter one or more raw signals received from sensor layerand/or from any other sensor/input component in order to obtain the tip signal, and/or data that may be modulated therewith and/or any other suitable data. The operation of obtaining the tip signal, as performed by processor(or another component communicably coupled to sensor layer), can be accomplished in a number of implementation-specific ways, suitable for any number of embodiments. Processormay perform (or assist with the performance of) the operation of locating styluson input surfaceemploying any suitable techniques once the tip signal is obtained, and the tip field intersection area is determined. Processorcan further use such information for further processing and interpretation once the location of stylusis estimated.